1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the use of synchronized pulsed magnetic field and light photon stimulation to excite human or animal tissue including nerves or acupuncture points for pain control or energetic enhancement purposes.
2. Description of Prior Art
Heretofore, electromagnetic stimulation of sensory nerves or acupuncture points has focused mainly on stimulation of nerve tracts for the purpose of promoting release of natural opiates or pain pathway blocks through gating mechanisms. Various forms of such stimulation have been tried such as application of voltages or currents to acupuncture needles, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), pulsed magnetic field stimulation, local application of heat or cold, use of light radiation, and magnetic therapy. Prior art devices of this type include the use of low frequency magnetic pules as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,953 B1, issued May 22, 2001. Application of voltages or currents to needles and TENS both involve passage of electrical current through superficial skin and tissue which is known to be prone to stimulation of pain fibers. The magnitude of stimulation is then limited to what a given subject can tolerate. Pulsed magnetic field stimulation relies on induced currents, which can largely avoid pain fiber stimulation and so is capable of higher levels of nerve stimulation. However, pulsed magnetic field stimulation at intensities high enough for neural stimulation requires cumbersome apparatus with a many limitations. These limitations arise from the high energy requirements and associated limitations of coil heat generation, time required for recharging of energy storage devices as capacitors, and physical apparatus size. Traditional acupuncture is postulated to also involve meridian pathways, which is not limited to known nerve tracts. These pathways are felt to involve body energy management and overall maintenance of health. While many different attempts have been made to stimulate or increase the energy level within these meridians, no scientifically acceptable means of assessing or measuring the energy states of body areas, acupuncture points, or meridians currently exists. The electrical potential, resistance, or impedance has been measured between acupuncture points or a given acupuncture point and surrounding tissue, but the known unreliability and lack of specificity of such measurements limited their use in energy state assessment. Some of these complications include: variable impedance of the overlying skin layer, contact potentials which change with minor perturbations, and complex nature of tissue impedance with frequency dependent properties. Thus, the effectiveness of any method in stimulating a given acupuncture point or changing the energy status of the meridian system and the body remains open to question and highly variable in result. The specific form of what constitutes the most effective way to stimulate specific acupuncture points or the meridian system electromagnetically then remains unclear. Pulsed magnetic field stimulation has been previously found to be able to stimulate nerves and even muscles in essentially a painless way. However, apparatus and procedures necessary to insure that the stimulus energy reaches the meridians or other parts of the body have not been previously described. Magnetic therapy involving applying permanent magnets to the body surface has been previously tried with positive therapeutic results, but this procedure is limited in application due to the necessity of constantly wearing magnets. Techniques for directly magnetizing the human or animal body as a form of magnetic therapy have not been previously described.
Prior work have also shown that other modes of sensory stimulation made in the vicinity of sources of pain can also be used to alleviate pain or also stimulate acupuncture points. Some of these modes include application of cold massage, light, pressure, and heat. In general, pain relief can be provided by a wide variety of sensory stimulation. Prior art applications of sensory stimulation include: application of monochromatic light and biofeedback as specified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,908 issued on Sep. 7, 1999, application of heat, light, sound, and VHF electromagnetic radiation for central nervous system stimulation as specified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,049 issued on Nov. 20, 1973, and application of acoustic, optical, mechanical, and/or electrical signals with increasing or decreasing frequency as specified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,361 issued on Apr. 28, 1992. Thus, a reasonable strategy to maximize pain relief is to combine as many modalities as possible. Some use has been made of combined modes such as pressure and electricity in electrical stimulation of needles or TENS and magnetic stimulation, but such combinations have not been previously fully exploited. Specifically, the combined use of pulsed magnetic field in synchrony with full spectrum pulsed light has not been tried for acupuncture point or body energy stimulation. From a quantum mechanical viewpoint, light and magnetic field can be considered as both photons, that can supply energy. Body tissue components have a magnetic moment that is capable of resonance and magnetization effects. Nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging is an example where this type of resonance is applied for a medical application. Prior art attempts at exploiting resonance include application of a fluctuating magnetic field to excite postulated ionic cyclotron resonance as specified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,940 issued on Nov. 26, 1991 and use of a complex frequency pulsed electromagnetic generator as specified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,444 issued on Jun. 1, 1999. Whether ion cyclotron resonance actually occurs in tissue has not been conclusively demonstrated to date, also the specific form of stimulation used in this approach does not fully exploit particle properties. The specific combination of light and magnetic field required for effectively exploiting these resonance or other effects for enhanced energetic stimulation of the human or animal body has not been previously described.
Accordingly, to provide an effective way to photonically stimulate tissue and modify the energy level in the body, a stimulation device is needed which has specific characteristics which match the energy transporting mechanisms of the body. Magnetic stimulation has important advantages over electrical stimulation in being able to avoid stimulation of pain fibers and not required needle insertion or electrode application. The present invention was designed to incorporate magnetic in combination with light stimulation to permit energetic excitation in a manner that could be used by a patient for self-use or applied by a practitioner. Light and magnetic field is known to interact in a transient plasma state to produce unique energy waves that propagate in the longitudinal rather than in the customary transverse electric and magnetic field mode. The longitudinal mode of propagation is known by those skilled in the art to be associated with mechanical vibrations and to involve less propagation loss than the transverse electric and magnetic field mode. The preferred embodiment of the present inventive device incorporates a xenon flash tube that generates a transient plasma state. Energetic excitation involving internally induced currents is another of the advantages of the inventive method in that the externally induced currents present in many previous acupuncture stimulators is not required. Another object of the present invention is to permit magnetization of major body areas as a way to provide magnetic therapy without encumbering the subject with the necessity of constantly wearing permanent magnet. Another object of the present invention is to provide a way to verify the effectiveness of the stimulator in providing energy to the body and level of magnetization. Such a measurement also forms the basis for a diagnostic assessment of the health of the body area and a rationale for treatment by use of the stimulator to promote a normal status. Another object of the present invention is to incorporate auditory sensory stimulation simultaneously with magnetic and light stimulation as a way of increasing total sensory stimulation to enhance pain relief.
The present invention provides for the above stated objectives as well as others by providing an electromagnetic stimulation device, which generates combined repetitive pulses of light and magnetic field to promote propagation of energy in the body. The level of currents induced by the pulsed magnetic field stimulation alone is limited in magnitude to values below the expected normal threshold of nerve fiber stimulation. When previously described apparatus used for pulsed magnetic field stimulation is used under this constraint, in effective pain control results. Also, there have been no previously reports on energy propagation under these conditions. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that conventional electromagnetic theory cannot justify the current rationale, but consideration of quantum electrodynamics effects is necessary. According to quantum theory, at least two major energy levels and associated frequencies are present in hydrated tissue and any magnetically sensitive material. Probabilities are connected with these levels that can be affected by the light and magnetic field levels. Nuclear magnetic and ionic resonances are possible in tissue by judicious choices of these levels and the frequencies involved. In general, a variety of magnetic resonant frequencies and wavelengths of light are necessary to promote effective energy transfer. The approach here is to satisfy these requirements by using broad-spectrum pulses of magnetic field and light to insure a stimulus with sufficient harmonic content to promote effective energy transfer. In addition, full spectrum light provided by a flash tube such as zenon is used to insure that the proper wavelength is present for such transfer to occur. A unique property of flash tube discharges is the transient creation of a plasma state. Plasma is created by the interaction of electrons and positive gas ions during a discharge. A plasma resonant frequency is generated during the discharge along with a longitudinally propagated wave. This wave is characterized by special properties known to those skilled in the art that allow the focusing of energy and control of plasma resonant frequency by using an externally applied magnetic field. Cyclotron resonance is known to be possible with plasma waves interacting with a directed magnetic field. The density of the gas within the gas tube determines the plasma resonant frequency. Density can then be chosen for maximum effectiveness of energetic stimulation by matching the resonant frequency of key cellular energetic processes such as those involved in ATP utilization. Thus, magnetic field and electric field can be simultaneously applied longitudinally in the desired direction of propagation. This is in contrast to conventional electromagnetic waves where the electric and magnetic fields are in the transverse mode that is perpendicular to the direction of propagation. In this way, resonance requirements for enhancement of energy stimulation can be met by providing stimuli which have temporal characteristics to meet resonance criteria for enhanced energy transfer, and full light spectrum to meet associated wavelength criteria for enhancement. Magnetic pulses of the stimulator provided for herein are generated by a capacitive discharge circuit where ordinary power line alternating current (50-60 Hz) or a battery powered oscillator signal is used to charge capacitors to steady levels. Individual stimulus pulses are formed by discharging these capacitors into a single or multiple coils using a switching device such as a silicon controlled rectifier and xenon flash tube for magnetic field and light generation. By appropriate choice of total circuit capacitance, coil inductance, and resistance a unidirectional magnetic field is generated. Pulses will be repeated according to a repetition rate that is set to obtain optimum magnetic field transfer. The coil system with or without the flash tube is mounted on a handle and connected with flexible wires to the main electronics unit to allow positioning of the coil and resultant magnetic field at various locations.
The present device allows for the creation of the proper conditions for multiple body tissue resonance to occur and exploits this condition to promote transmission of magnetic field into the meridian or other body system. Use of monopolar magnetic stimulation pulses and light pulses permit magnetization of target body areas which creates residual magnetic effects suitable for magnetic therapy even after the stimuli crease. The measurement of the magnitude of magnetic field at different areas of the body then provides a way to assess the effectiveness of stimulation as well as a basis of evaluating the state of the body energy system. Such measurements can be made during as well as before and following stimulation.
Preliminary studies performed indicate that the combined and simultaneous treatment of the inventive device provides a substantially greater degree of pain relief and energetic enhancement (degree of magnetization) than either magnetic or light stimulation alone.